AllCast for Android leaves beta; No Chromecast support yet

Earlier this month we reported about the beta version of the AllCast Android app that lets you stream content from a mobile device to your TV or set-top box. The app is now out of beta and the full version is now available on Google Play Store. Compatible with Android 4.0 and up, AllCast currently supports popular media hubs including Apple TV, Google TV, Roku, and Xbox (360 and One), DLNA-capable devices and many Samsung and Panasonic smart TVs.

The application does not support Google's Chromecast dongle yet, which isn't surprising because the search giant has yet to release the public API for third-party streaming and has also plugged in all the loopholes that were exploited earlier to achieve the feat.

According to the Android Police, AllCast still has some rough edges that need to be polished. For example, there is no way to queue up a playlist, the streaming device has to be re-selected whenever the screen is rotated, and more.

The application has a free version that is almost unusable (ads and a 1 minute limit), and a premium version that will set you back $5 which is probably worth it. Currently streaming support is limited to photos and videos, but according to the app's developer Koushik Dutta, support for music will be added soon.

AllCast for Android leaves beta; No Chromecast support yet

Samsung said to be working on a fitness tracker, will debut at Mobile World Congress

Samsung’s Galaxy Gear was one of the first smartwatches available from a major manufacturer and while it received praise from some for a stylish design, others felt the Korean tech giant rushed the device to market as evident by a lacking user experience.

The company is already hard at work on a follow-up effort but according to new reports, the wearable might not be a smartwatch at all. Instead, Samsung is rumored to be working on a fitness tracker known as the Galaxy Band.

It’ll be similar to other fitness bands including Nike’s FuelBand, the Fitbit Flex and the Jawbone UP in that it’ll be a wrist-worn device with an array of embedded sensors to measure metrics like humidity, motion and pressure. Bluetooth connectivity will ensure the tracker connects with other mobile devices from Samsung and other manufacturers and it could even offer voice control, we’re told.

We can also expect it to be deeply integrated with Samsung’s S Health app on phones like the Galaxy S4. Most reports suggest the Galaxy Band will also run on Android – no surprise there.

A similar device known as the S Band surfaced around the same time as the Galaxy S4 although that device is no longer shown on the company’s website. It was designed to pair with S Health to help track exercise and sleep patterns.

Sources say we can expect Samsung to unveil the new fitness tracker at Mobile World Congress and launch soon after. That event runs from February 24 through the 27th in Barcelona, Spain.

Samsung said to be working on a fitness tracker, will debut at Mobile World Congress

Tribune acquires Sony's Gracenote business for $170 million

Sony on Monday announced that the company has entered into an agreement to sell off its Gracenote music data unit to Chicago-based Tribune for $170 million. The announcement comes just five years after the consumer electronics conglomerate bought the media identifying service for $260 million.

Founded in 1998, Gracenote provides largest database of audio and video metadata, and is the world's leading distributor of this content. Some popular music services that use Gracenote's technology include iTunes, Spotify, and Pandora. Odd as it may seem but Xbox Music, Microsoft's answer to iTunes, is also powered by the same technology.

According to the company, Gracenote's database gets more than 550 million look-up requests for media identification each day.

Apart from music, Gracenote has been working to incorporate its Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) technology into television, which can be used to provide targeted ads to users. The company is partnering with TV manufacturers (like LG) as well as with video ad providers in this regard.

The deal, which is scheduled to close before March 31 next year, will not only provide Tribune with Gracenote's technology but also access to a database of 180 million music videos and tracks. This will help Tribune in gaining an edge over its digital entertainment competitor Rovi.

For Sony, which reported a quarterly loss of around $200 million in October, the sell off falls in line with the company's cost reduction strategy.

Tribune acquires Sony's Gracenote business for $170 million

Researchers develop "robot muscles" that are 1,000 times stronger than humans

Incredible strength has traditionally been an attribute of most robots but now, researchers at UC Berkeley are working to make it a reality. They’ve created what is known as artificial muscles that could one day give robots 1000 times the strength of a human.

These robot muscles use special properties from a material known as vanadium dioxide which is a compound that can change from an insulator to a conductive metal at 67C. A side effect of the transformation, we’re told, is incredible strength – enough to move objects that are 50 times heavier than robotic muscles. What’s more, they can move objects up to five times further – all in the blink of an eye.

In laboratory testing, these muscles were able to survive repeated contractions (up to one million times) even when the speed of movements was driven up to 200,000 RPM. Scientists believe the breakthrough could lead to more powerful robots while the technology itself may be useful in creating more efficient electronics.

Found is a TechSpot feature where we share clever, funny or otherwise interesting stuff from around the web.

Researchers develop "robot muscles" that are 1,000 times stronger than humans

Canonical releases developer preview of Ubuntu and Android dual-boot

Canonical seems to be on track to deliver a dual boot solution to switch between Ubuntu and Android on your mobile device. The company has just announced Ubuntu and Android dual boot developer preview. According to the announcement, the dual boot process is now as easy as installing and running an Android app that lets you easily switch between the two operating systems. Once you make a choice, just restart the device for changes to take effect.

Canonical says the dual boot solution should work with stock releases, AOSP, and even Cynogenmod. The device must be running Android 4.2 or higher.

The installation process is not as uncomplicated at this stage however. It currently requires a bootloader unlocked Nexus 4 device (other Nexus devices should work but haven't been tested) with USB debugging enabled and 2.7GB free space, a computer running Ubuntu OS, and ADB tools.

Though there is little room for error as everything is scripted, if something does go wrong there is not much you can do. The company warns that the dual boot rewrites the Android recovery partition, which leaves re-flashing of image as the only way back. If that freaks you out, better wait for the end product. The dual boot solution is a good move from Canonical. This will provide Ubuntu with an opportunity to penetrate the vast Android market.

Canonical releases developer preview of Ubuntu and Android dual-boot

Neowin: Verizon Ellipsis 7 review, budget friendly meets performance woes

Verizon has a slew of devices on its retail shelves and with smartphones and tablets selling light hotcakes, they have opted to add another budget device to its lineup. Verizon's new Ellipsis 7 is a 7-inch tablet sporting LTE connectivity and a $249 price tag ($49.99 with a 2-year contract). The price is clearly targeted at the low end of the market and that’s indicative of the device as soon as you pick it up.

Verizon is trying to span the spectrum of prices for its tablets and we can’t fault them for doing this — as of writing, in fact, the Ellipsis 7 is on backorder until late January — in other words, the Ellipsis 7 is the company’s play to race to the bottom.

The low end of the Android tablet market is filled with devices that offer a less than optimal experience. However if the Ellipsis 7 can cut through the lag and provide at least an average user experience, for the price it could be a good device. But the question remains, in a world where the Nexus 7 costs $229, can the Ellipsis 7 truly compete?

With an IPS display, 1.2GHz quad-core processor and a 4000 mAh battery, on paper the Ellipsis is not bad. But paper performance and real-world usability are two different beasts. One of the tablet's major selling points is built-in LTE, though to save a few pennies the device does not include a 3G radio. You could call it a bold bet not to include 3G, though considering LTE coverage is now nearly the same as 3G it might make sense moving forward.

Read the full review

This article is brought to you in partnership with Neowin.

Neowin: Verizon Ellipsis 7 review, budget friendly meets performance woes

BlackBerry cancels annual Live conference after 12 consecutive years

In what probably shouldn’t come as much of a surprise at this point, Canadian handset maker BlackBerry has canceled its annual BlackBerry Live conference for 2014. It’ll be the first time in 12 years the company won’t host a major event and is one of the first major changes under new CEO John Chen.

In a blog post announcing the change, the company said they would instead host a series of smaller, targeted events that would take place across the world over the next 12 months. These events will have a greater focus on the specific business, developer and partner audiences.

BlackBerry annual conferences were first introduced in 2002 as the Wireless Enterprise Symposium (WES) and later went by the name BlackBerry World. That moniker was ultimately phased out to avoid confusion with the company’s app store by the same name and has been known as BlackBerry Live ever since.

Events like BlackBerry Live served as the perfect platform to showcase upcoming hardware. At the most recent conference, the company announced the budget-minded Q5 smartphone with a design that was reminiscent of the BlackBerry Curve.

The lack of a big conference will no doubt decrease the company’s ability to build hype for pending products but at this stage of the game, handsets probably won’t be as high of a priority as they once were. On the plus side, the lack of a flashy conference will help BlackBerry trim unnecessary costs as Chen attempts to get things going in the right direction once again.

BlackBerry cancels annual Live conference after 12 consecutive years

Twitter co-founder and Square CEO Jack Dorsey joins Disney board of directors

Twitter co-founder and current Square chief Jack Dorsey has joined the Disney board of directors as an independent director effective immediately. Dorsey said he was honored and humbled to join the Disney board as it is a timeless company that we all grew up learning from and admiring.

In a statement on the matter, Disney chairman and chief executive officer Bob Iger said Dorsey is a talented entrepreneur who has helped create groundbreaking new businesses in the social media and commerce spaces.

The perspective Dorsey brings to the company and the board is extremely valuable given their strategic priorities, which include utilizing the latest technologies and platforms to reach more people and to enhance the relationship they have with customers, Iger said.

As one might expect, Dorsey tweeted about the announcement with a quote from Walt Disney, “I only hope we don’t lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse.”

He will join a host of tech-based who’s who including BlackBerry CEO John Chen and Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg. The late Steve Jobs also served on the Disney board until his death in 2011 and was the largest shareholder after the Mickey Mouse company acquired Pixar in 2006.

Dorsey has been in the news quite a bit recently and is one of the most popular executives in the tech industry. Outside of tech, however, he has shown interest in running for mayor of New York despite the fact he lives in San Francisco.

Twitter co-founder and Square CEO Jack Dorsey joins Disney board of directors

Infamous NSA leaker Edward Snowden says he's "already won"

The name Edward Snowden has been a major talking point for the year 2013, with the infamous ex-NSA contractor facilitating a number of interesting leaks over the past six months. In an interview conducted by The Washington Post, Snowden reveals some of the reasons behind the leaks, saying that “for me, in terms of personal satisfaction, the mission’s already accomplished. I already won.”

Snowden says that the leaks were, in part, designed to highlight misconduct within the NSA, rather than to damage the organization. “I am not trying to bring down the NSA, I am working to improve the NSA”, he said. When asked what entitled Snowden to take on this responsibility, he responded by saying “the system failed comprehensively” and so he was “elected” by people who were responsible for the failings.

Before Snowden began leaking information to the press, he says he tried to report misconduct to several NSA superiors among 15 other co-workers, starting in October 2012. Some employees reportedly showed astonishment when Snowden revealed that the NSA collects more information on Americans than Russians, although his reports ultimately went nowhere. Meanwhile, the NSA itself claims there's no record of Snowden raising any issues.

Now residing in Russia, where he's been granted temporary asylum, Snowden revealed many critical NSA programs earlier this year, including PRISM, which allegedly collects data directly from the servers of major tech companies, as well as widespread phone tapping and tracking. The leaks have prompted some tech companies, including Microsoft and Google, to implement stronger encryption and fight back against online surveillance.

Infamous NSA leaker Edward Snowden says he's "already won"

Acer appoints former Intel, TSMC executive Jason Chen as CEO

Acer Inc. on Monday named Jason Chen, former vice president of worldwide sales and marketing at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), as president and chief executive officer. Chen resigned from TSMC earlier today and will begin duties with Acer on January 1.

The Taiwan-based company has been in management turmoil in recent times. Early last month, longtime CEO J.T. Wang resigned after the company reported record losses. His replacement, Jim Wong, was set to fill the vacant position on January 1 but he stepped down just two weeks after the announcement. 

Founder Stan Shih returned to take over leadership duties while Wang and Wong stayed with the company as advisors.

The hiring of Chen is good news for Acer, according to CIMB analyst Wanli Wang, although it isn’t much of a surprise to the market as it had been talked about as of late. The seasoned veteran, who earned his MBA from the University of Missouri in 1988, was appointed vice president of corporate development with TSMC in February 2005.

Before that, he served as corporate vice president and co-director of the worldwide sales and market group at Intel. His previous experience may be helpful to Acer’s new product development and cooperation with Intel in the future, the analyst noted.

In a statement on the matter, Shih said they consider him to be the ideal executive to lead their transformation with his wealth of new thinking, international perspective and willingness to face the challenge.

Acer appoints former Intel, TSMC executive Jason Chen as CEO

Security firm RSA "categorically denies" accepting money from NSA to use flawed crypto code

Last week, Reuters ran a story claiming the National Security Agency paid security firm RSA $10 million to use a known flawed random number generator in their BSAFE toolkit. The firm has since categorically denied the allegation, saying they have never entered into any contract or engaged in any project with the intent of weakening RSA’s products or introducing backdoors for anyone’s use.

In a blog post on the matter, the company said they have worked with the NSA previously as a vendor and an active member of the security community but the relationship was never kept a secret. Their goal has always been to strengthen commercial and government security, the post stated.

The post outlines the use of Dual EC DRBG, starting in 2004 with the decision to use it as the default in BSAFE toolkits. RSA noted that at the time, the NSA had a trusted role in the community-wide effort to strengthen, not weaken, encryption.

When concerns surfaced about the algorithm in 2007, RSA relied upon the National Institute of Standards (NIST) as the arbiter of the discussion and when the NIST suggested the algorithm should no longer be used in September 2013, they passed along the information to customers and discussed the changes openly in the media.

RSA also points out that the algorithm in question is only one of multiple choices available within BSAFE toolkits and said users have always been free to choose whichever one best suits their needs.

Security firm RSA "categorically denies" accepting money from NSA to use flawed crypto code

Inside the walls of a professional Bitcoin mining facility in Iceland

Bitcoin mining was once feasible at home using GPU power but that’s no longer true. As the price of the virtual currency skyrocketed over the course of 2013, entrepreneurs like 31-year-old Emmanuel Abiodun began investing serious money in Bitcoin-specific mining hardware that effectively put GPU mining out to pasture.

While most serious Bitcoin miners elect to keep their setups private, Abiodun recently opened the doors to his massive mining facility in Iceland to journalist Nathaniel Popper. Behind the fortified gate and multiple security checkpoints lie more than 100 mining computers, each locked away inside a metal cabinet cooled by vents on the floor.

The machines, which require a massive amount of energy and produce excessive amounts of heat, are cooled primarily by the crisp Arctic air that is pumped in from outside. Abiodun, who runs a mining rental service known as Cloud Hashing, chose Iceland for the installation due to the cheap hydroelectric and geothermal energy sources.

The machines mine away on the Bitcoin network 24/7. At the end of each day, the mining haul is divided up and sent to the company’s customers. For example, the operation mined 225 Bitcoins one day last week which were valued around $160,000. The company said they keep about 20 percent of the capacity for their own use and rent out the remaining space.

Since October, the hardware has generated more than $4 million worth of Bitcoins based on current trading value. At that rate, Abiodun is set to make a hefty profit in no time flat should the crypto currency continue its meteoric rise.

Inside the walls of a professional Bitcoin mining facility in Iceland

Bioware releases new Dragon Age: Inquisition screenshots, Holiday build for employees

Many of us welcome the Holiday season as an opportunity to enjoy time with family and catch up on some well deserved sleep. But for the dedicated team at Bioware, the end of the year brings an important milestone in the development process. This season focuses on Dragon Age: Inquisition, and according to Bioware's latest blog post, the “Holiday build,” for their upcoming fantasy-epic is complete.

A Holiday build is something that Bioware developers port for each of their games and it serves as a long standing tradition. Teams attempt to craft a title that is as “complete as possible,” so that other team members, and parts of Bioware, can play the “completed product” over the Holidays. The details for the Dragon Age: Inquisition build are outlined by Mark Darrah, and it seems that the company has been very busy since we last saw the project at PAX. So what exactly has the group been working on, and how much of the game is really finished?

The main storyline has been completed, and is currently playable from beginning to end. Letting team members experience this aspect of the game will give the development team a better look at how well they have paced the storyline, and if anything seems consistent or out of place. Keep in mind that this is the “main storyline,” so any side-quests or alternate missions are most likely still in development. This isn't just an interactive story though, all of the gameplay elements will work together, allowing employees to experience “finished gameplay.” There is still a lot of voice over and sound work that needs to be done, but team members managed to sneak some of the voices and musical elements into the build.

The blog post also makes a brief statement about class design, and the build will focus on making sure that each class provides a specific role, complete with helpful team-based abilities. Developers want to ensure that you need a specific team composition, and that you don't end up dominating the battlefield on your own without using some of the more creative class tools that will be at your disposal.

Bioware closes with a glimpse at some of the content that is being worked on for the title, and developers released a slew of new screenshots to celebrate their progress

Bioware releases new Dragon Age: Inquisition screenshots, Holiday build for employees

Winamp lives on past shutdown date as talk of Microsoft acquisition heats up

Winamp was supposed to shut down late last week but surprisingly enough, the company’s website is still alive and the desktop application remains available. Did someone simply forget to take the site / app down or is something else going on behind the scenes?

According to Eddy Richman from the Winamp team, the latter scenario seems most likely.

When probed by the guys from Neowin via Twitter, Richman said he couldn’t comment on the matter right now but something was obviously happening behind the scenes. He said he would tweet any news updates via the @winamp account when / if something develops, however.

The deal that Richman was speaking of could be what TechCrunch spoke of days before the planned closure. In that report, the publication claimed AOL was finalizing negotiations to sell Winamp and Shoutcast. A similar report from the previous month said Microsoft was the suitor although the most recent update didn’t name a buyer.

The deal is far enough along that the source was confident that an agreement would be reached. Naturally, a spokesperson for AOL declined to comment on the matter.

Winamp hit the scene in the late 1990s and quickly became one of the most popular applications for listening to music on the desktop. Popularity waned over the years, however, as streaming services like Rhapsody, Pandora and Spotify are now all the rage. But for a select few, the app still holds a nostalgic appeal and continues to be the go-to player for local music playback.

Winamp lives on past shutdown date as talk of Microsoft acquisition heats up

CyanogenMod breaks past 10 million installation milestone

CyanogenMod is pushing ahead with its plan to become the third largest mobile platform. According to the company’s official stats page, the custom Android ROM has now been installed on over 10 million devices, up from around 8 million back in September. The figure is split between official downloads from their site, totaling 5,451,770 as of writing, and 4,579,284 unofficial installs.

It’s worth noting that hat devices that haven’t checked in with the CyanogenMod database within 90 days are removed, meaning the 10 million installs figure comprises hardware that’s actively being used. Moreover CEO Kirk McMaster has previously said that they only track the minority of users who opt to send feedback data back to Cyanogen, and that the true user base (back in September) was closer to 16 – 24 million.

That’s quite impressive considering most people will turn away from modifying their device and just stick with the pre-installed version of Android instead. The company believes Cyanogen's wild growth has been fueled by carriers' inclusion of bloatware with devices and their unwillingness to provide timely updates or continue supporting old models. Just look at the device breakdown; the phone with the most installs is Samsung’s three year old Galaxy S with 510,913, followed closely by the Galaxy S II released in 2011 totaling 494,178 installs.

Their numbers are likely to keep growing now that they’ve taken steps to untangle the installation process with new desktop and mobile apps, as well as OTA updates. Cyanogen has also secured $30 million in the past three months to help with their commercial efforts and partnered with Oppo on a version of its flagship N1 with CyanogenMod preinstalled and certified by Google — meaning it will come pre-loaded with Google Play. If everything goes according to plan we might soon see phones from Samsung and HTC with CM pre-installed.

CyanogenMod breaks past 10 million installation milestone

Snapchat update grants the ability to replay snaps and add filters

Snapchat recently added several new features that help the service better compete with other popular platforms. Among the new features is the ability to replay snaps and add photo filters, or as CEO Evan Spiegel described them, nice little gifts as we head into the holiday period.

The Replay feature allows users to replay one snap per day regardless of if it is a picture or a video. We are told that only the most recent image or video in your stream can be replayed and it can only be done once a day for a total of twice ever. Interestingly enough, the feature is opt-in by the recipient only, not the sender.

Spiegel said many people were partially missing messages from friends so they wanted to give people a chance to “jump back” in time, so to speak. This seemingly goes against the entire principal of “see it once then it’s gone forever,” but I digress.

As for filters, users can select between an array of basic filters and even “smart filters.” The latter can include information like the current time, temperature and even your speed (this sounds a bit dangerous).

Elsewhere, Snapchat also received another font option for those that like to add captions to their snaps. There’s also a front-facing flash (the screen turns white to help illuminate your face during selfies) and the ability to select up to seven people you wish to appear in your “best friends” menu.

The update is available as of writing, you can download it here.

Snapchat update grants the ability to replay snaps and add filters

Apple and China Mobile sign long-awaited iPhone deal

Apple on Sunday announced that it has signed a multi-year agreement with China Mobile to sell iPhones in the world's biggest smartphone market. “China is an extremely important market for Apple”, Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive, said in a statement. The deal between the two companies has been in the works for years, with delays thought to have been caused by the iPhone maker's demand of sales volume guarantees.

Under the agreement, the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c will be available at China Mobile as well as Apple retail stores across mainland China starting January 17. While pre-registrations will start from this coming Wednesday, pricing details will be announced at a later date.

                 

China Mobile, which is the largest wireless network in the world, currently has approximately 763 million customers. The deal, of which financial details were not disclosed, could add billions of dollars to Apple's revenue. It will not only provide Apple with a much required boost in China but also strengthen the Cupertino-based company in its global war against South Korean rival Samsung Electronics.

The Chinese smartphone market is currently dominated by Android-based mobile phones. Some smartphone makers like Huawei are offering Android phones for even less than $100. It will be interesting to see the price at which Apple offers the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, which are officially priced in China at $871 and $739 respectively.

Image via Reuters/Stringer

Apple and China Mobile sign long-awaited iPhone deal

Moto X now available with bamboo back panel for an extra $100

Motorola’s customizable Moto X smartphone can now be ordered with a wooden back panel. The option was originally shown in press photos when the handset launched during the summer but unfortunately, the attractive backs were pushed back.

A quick check of the Moto Maker website shows a wooden back option under the Natural category. The bamboo rear cover will set you back an extra $100 and is currently the only wooden choice available. That means prospective buyers will be looking at $199 for the 16GB model and $249 for the 32GB bamboo model, both with a two year service agreement. If you want the phone without a subsidy, expect to pay $599 and $649 for the 16GB and 32GB models, respectively.

Motorola initially showcased multiple wooden backs but eventually said they required more research before they could be offered to consumers. Specifically, Motorola’s engineers said wood’s signal propagation properties are different from traditional resin which meant more time was needed to figure out the equation.

The company promised to deliver them before the end of the year and well, I guess they made good on that promise. Rumors suggest three other wood options may eventually be offered but Motorola hasn’t confirmed anything as of writing.

Because the handsets are assembled in the US, the company is able to deliver custom phones within four days. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case with bamboo backs as the Moto Maker website reveals an eight day estimated delivery window.

Moto X now available with bamboo back panel for an extra $100

Electric vehicles won't rule the road until at least 2040, says US government

According to the Department of Energy, gasoline powered vehicles will still make up for the vast majority of vehicles on the road even in the year 2040. The department's Energy Information Administration (EIA) is forecasting in its 2014 Annual Energy Outlook that the market share of gasoline powered cars and trucks will witness a mere 4 percent downfall, from today's 82 percent to 78 percent, by 2040.

While full hybrids will account for 5 percent, plug-in hybrids and full electric vehicles will collectively constitute only 2 percent of the market share. Micro hybrids and other advanced fuel technologies will feature in 42 percent of the gasoline powered vehicles in that year.

The Agency predicts a rise in the fuel efficiency of the country's cars and trucks, which is expected to jump from 21.5 mpg in 2012 to 37.2 mpg by 2040. While the forecast is green, the government expects even better. According to the new rules set by the Obama administration in 2012, the fuel efficiency figures should touch 54.5 mpg for cars and light-duty trucks by 2025.

The overall energy consumption by the American transport sector is expected to fall by 4 percent. Diesel vehicles will double from today's 2 percent to 4 percent. The agency also predicts that the price of gasoline 25 years from now will be $3.90 and that of diesel will be $4.73. These price figures are adjusted for inflation.

Electric vehicles won't rule the road until at least 2040, says US government

iOS 7 finally gets jailbroken, just in time for the holidays

In time for the holiday season, an iOS 7 jailbreak has been released from the Evasi0n team, supporting all iPhones, iPod touches, iPads and iPad minis running iOS 7.0 to 7.0.4. The jailbreak is untethered, meaning the device its installed on will remain jailbroken after a reboot.

The process to jailbreak an iOS 7 device is said to be quite easy, taking around five minutes to complete. Once the installer has finished its work, you will be able to begin customizing your device and installing third-party applications, just like with any previous jailbreak for older iOS versions.

However this jailbreak is not without controversy. It has been reported that the version of Cydia (a third-party app store) included with the jailbreak is not official, nor updated. It has also come to light that a second app store called Taig is installed on devices where the language is set to Chinese; Taig sells some cracked/pirated applications, which many members of the jailbreaking community are not happy about.

The good news is that members of team Evasi0n, despite entering an agreement with Taig, are on the case to remove any signs of piracy from the Chinese marketplace. Evasi0n had hoped that their “cooperation with Taig will improve the piracy situation in China”, and will continue to remove pirated apps where they are discovered.

iOS 7 finally gets jailbroken, just in time for the holidays

Weekend tech reading: How Intel's Oculus robot tests touchscreens, the worst PC games of 2013

Intel robot puts touch screens through their paces In a compact lab at Intel’s Silicon Valley headquarters, Oculus the robot is playing the hit game Cut the Rope on a smartphone. Using two fingers with rubbery pads on the ends, the robot crisply taps and swipes with micrometer precision through a level of the physics-based puzzler. It racks up a perfect score. It’s a far cry from the menial work that Oculus’s robot arm was designed for: moving silicon wafers around in a chip fab. But it’s not just a party trick. Intel built Oculus to try to empirically test the responsiveness and “feel” of a touch screen to determine if humans will like it. MIT Technology Review

Windows XP: Microsoft's ticking time bomb Shona Ghosh examines the security threat posed by Microsoft’s decision to end support for its 12-year-old OS in April The final deadline for Windows XP support will act as a starting pistol for hackers, as they target hundreds of millions of users on unpatched systems. Microsoft has already granted the 12-year-old OS several stays of execution, but the firm has said it will finally end extended support on 8 April 2014 — despite the fact that XP remains the second-most popular OS, with almost a third of PCs running it. PC Pro

Utter rot At two hours, a zombie movie provides a bracing shot of nihilism. Zombies aren’t so much monsters as they are math, after all — seething, surging, interchangeable integers. Some go fast, some slow. Some are funny, some scary. But if the premise stays pure no true happy ending is possible, and, before you’ve even had time to absorb that fact, everyone you loved will be dead or lost in grief forever. AMC’s zombie show, “The Walking Dead,” on the other hand, has been grinding on for forty-three hours, something I can attest to, because I watched every episode in less than two weeks. The New Yorker

The 10 worst PC games of 2013 Oh, Gearbox, Gearbox, Gearbox. When you work on your own projects, we get Borderlands 2. Other licenses? Duke Nukem Forever. This. As a supposed in-canon sequel to Aliens, it's bad. What's really sad though is how far it ended up being from the pre-release footage that got fans so excited, with even Gearbox king-of-spin Randy Pitchford struggling to find a positive one on it. He eventually found it by only retweeting scraps of positive tweets, and declaring “As a glass-half-full kind of guy, I only want positive feelings with my personal Twitter. PC Games N

YoVideogames Aliens: Colonial Marines Review (from February 2013)

High-PPI support in Windows 8.1: still not so great Displays with high pixel densities are pretty much standard in tablets, and we're all waiting for them to become standard in notebooks. Take a trip to your local Best Buy, though, and chances are a majority of systems in the laptop aisle will have 1366×768 panels — even large notebooks that really have no business with a display resolution that low. It's a sad state of affairs. If Google can serve up two megapixels in a $229 tablet, then why can't PC makers do the same in $800 ultrabooks? The Tech Report

AT&T to join rivals with 'transparency report' AT&T said Friday it would join rivals in the tech and telecom sector in publishing a “transparency report” about demands for information from law enforcement agencies. The announcement came a day after a similar announcement from sector rival Verizon, which follow releases from big technology firms including Google, Apple and Microsoft, and intense scrutiny of these firms in light of revelations of wide-ranging US government surveillance programs. Security Week

Server buying decisions: Memory We reviewed several types of server memory back in August 2012. You still have the same three choices — LRDIMMs, RDIMMs, and UDIMMs—but the situation has significantly changed now. The introduction of the Ivy Bridge EP is one of those changes. The latest Intel Xeon has better support for LR-DIMMs and supports higher memory speeds (up to 1866 MHz). But the biggest change is that the pricing difference between LRDIMMs and RDIMMs has shrunk a lot. AnandTech

The most beautiful snowflake photos you’ll ever see, captured with a cheap DIY camera All of the snowflake photos on this page, believe it or not, were captured using a six-year-old point-and-shoot Canon camera and a standard 58mm SLR lens that was produced in the USSR sometime between 1958 and 1992. Such photography ought to be impossible without a microscope or other expensive gear, but it just perfectly illustrates the photographic and aesthetic ingenuity of Alexey Kljatov… ExtremeTech

The shape of things to come On Alpine Road in Portola Valley, a few miles southwest of the campus of Stanford University, where the flat suburban landscape begins to give way to the vistas of the Santa Cruz Mountains, there is an old wooden roadhouse called the Alpine Inn, where college students drink beer and wine at old wooden tables carved with initials. It’s as if Mory’s, the venerable Yale hangout, were housed in a western frontier tavern out of a John Wayne movie. Vanity Fair

How Britain exported next-generation surveillance It was a cool, quiet monday evening in northeast England when the computer first told them about Peter Chapman. The clock read a little after five, and two officers from Cleveland police were cruising in their patrol car. A screen lit up next to them: the on-board computer was flashing an alert from the local police network. The message told them the target was a blue Ford Mondeo and gave them its registration number. Medium

What is wrong with Steam OS? Steam OS beta was released over the weekend by Valve, the same OS which will be powering Steam Machines. Steam OS is bases on Debian 7 Wheezy, for those who don’t know Debian is an operating system based on Linux and Linux is free to use, modify and distribute, so Steam has forked Debian to develop Steam OS which is in beta right now and can be downloaded from here. Linux Federation

Weekend tech reading: How Intel's Oculus robot tests touchscreens, the worst PC games of 2013

Overstock.com aims to be first major US retailer to accept Bitcoin

Bitcoin recently received a boost of confidence as Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne said his company would be the first major US retailer to accept the virtual currency. It won’t happen anytime soon, however, as they won’t be set up to process Bitcoin transactions until sometime in the second half of 2014.

In an interview with the Financial Times (via CNN), Byrne said they think there is going to be a market in Bitcoin and they want to get in front of it. A healthy monetary system isn’t based off an upside pyramid or the whim of a government official. He believes Bitcoin should hold its value better than the dollar due to the fact that it is mathematically constrained (only a limited number can ever be created) and it can’t be manipulated by government authorities.

When they start accepting the currency, they will bank it in the event that other coins are increasing in popularity. If other coins fail to gain momentum, Overstock would instead just transfer Bitcoins to dollars on a daily basis, Byrne noted.

Overstock will join a number of other retailers in accepting Bitcoin including Humble Bundle, Namecheap and OKCupid, just to name a few. Overstock of course would be the largest retailer to do so with forecasted total revenue of $1.3 billion in 2013. The move could prompt others like Amazon to do the same – that is, if they can beat everyone to the punch.

Overstock.com aims to be first major US retailer to accept Bitcoin

T-Mobile to unveil Uncarrier 4.0 strategy at CES, could pay your early termination fee to switch

The next phase in T-Mobile’s “uncarrier” strategy looks set to come down the pipeline on January 9 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Invitations sent to media members on Friday failed to outline exactly what we might see at the press conference but there are already some pretty solid rumors making the rounds.

According to a couple of unnamed sources as reported by TmoNews, Uncarrier 4.0 (codenamed “Houdini”) will consist of an Early Termination Fee (ETF) promotion in which the wireless carrier will essentially pay off your ETF with your current carrier if you switch to T-Mobile.

Customers will be eligible for up to $350 in total credit when switching. They will earn instant credit by trading in their existing handset and will be credited the ETF fee when they submit the final bill to T-Mobile. As such, new customers must trade in their old device and purchase a new phone through T-Mobile to qualify.

We are told the focus here is on families switching up to five lines regardless of contract end dates although I see no indication where it wouldn’t also work for individual lines. According to documentation seen by the publication, the program will launch on January 15.

We’ve seen other carriers offer similar limited-time promotions in the past but nothing that is permanent. If true, I imagine such a promotion could once again shake up the industry and more than likely force other carriers to follow suit but at this time, keep in mind that it is little more than a rumor.

T-Mobile to unveil Uncarrier 4.0 strategy at CES, could pay your early termination fee to switch

20 GB of free SkyDrive storage gifted to Windows Phone users

If you happen to be a proud owner of a Windows Phone, Microsoft has decided to make this holiday season a little better by offering extra SkyDrive storage for free. As described in an email sent to all Windows Phone users, you'll be able to claim 20 GB of free SkyDrive storage that's active for a year, so long as you click the link before the end of January.

The 20 GB of cloud storage is in addition to the free 7 GB (or 25 GB for early adopters) already offered by the service. If you happen to have an Office 365 subscription, you'll likely find yourself with over 50 GB of storage available in Microsoft's cloud; even more if you claimed the free 200 GB (for two years) that comes with any Surface 2 or Surface Pro 2 purchase.

So what are you going to do with all this free space? One of the best uses is to enable automatic full-resolution backups of your Windows Phone camera photos over Wi-Fi. Smartphone photos, especially those taken by the 41-megapixel Nokia Lumia 1020, can occupy quite a bit of space, which is where the extra 20 GB can come in handy.

Head on over to your email inbox to claim the extra 20 GB. At this stage it looks like the offer is only there for Windows Phone 8 users – unfortunate for the few Windows Phone 7 users still out there – but it should nevertheless be available for the majority of Windows Phone users.

20 GB of free SkyDrive storage gifted to Windows Phone users

New leaks show NSA targeting economic regulators and charities

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has provided us with an enormous wealth of information regarding government spying activities. New leaked documents suggests the agency has been tapping some unusual targets like European economic regulators and charitable organizations that have no apparent connection to US national security.

One target was Joaquín Alumnia, the European Commission vice president. According to the report, Almunia was spied on by the NSA during his time overseeing the European Union's economic and financial affairs. He would later go on to head up antitrust cases against Microsoft, Google and other big tach giants, after taking authority over the European Commission's antitrust department.

As per usual, the NSA has it reasons for keeping a close eye on targets, whether they appear to be of interest to national security or not. When speaking to the Guardian, Der Spiegel and the New York Times, the NSA claimed the intelligence community spied on economic targets in order “to understand economic systems and policies, and monitor anomalous economic activities,” which it says are “critical to providing policy makers with the information they need.” The NSA continued by saying, “the US government is undertaking a review of our activities around the world – looking at, among other issues, how we co-ordinate with our closest allies and partners.”

The recent leaked documents point at political and economic officials targeted across more than 60 countries, including a French energy company, the defense minister and prime minister of Israel, as well as the international charitable organization Unicef.

(Image via AP/Rick Bowmer)

New leaks show NSA targeting economic regulators and charities

Weekend Open Forum: Your most and least played Steam games

Steam recently kicked off their Holiday sale and inevitably many of us will do little to resist the opportunity of adding a few titles to our collections. Some will prove to be good investments, providing hours of entertainment at a heavily discounted price, while others might amount to nothing more than an impulse buy you fire up a couple of times and soon forget all about. Hopefully you’ll get more of the former than the latter.

In this week’s open forum we want you to revisit your personal stats for some hindsight on how wisely your dollars have been spent in the past. What’s your most and least played games on Steam? Head to your library and sort titles by playtime for a quick overview at the total number of hours spent on each game.

As a side note, we've updated our forum software to the latest Xenforo release, and you can now drag and drop images into the reply box. If you want to brag about (or shame yourself) sharing your Steam stats feel free to post a screenshot like the one on top — which belongs to Matt, by the way.

Weekend Open Forum: Your most and least played Steam games

Humble's latest weekly sale features titles from developer Puppy Games

The 25th is rapidly approaching and you're running out of time to pick up the perfect Christmas gift for all your friends and loved ones. Lucky for you, Humble Bundle has a new weekly sale just in time to save you from braving the outside world. This week the charitable outlet is playing host to a slew of titles developed by Puppy Games, and they can all be yours for, well, whatever you can pay.

Tossing in anything you can will entitle you to Titan Attack!, Revenge of the Titans, Ultratron, and Droid Assault. These titles are all available for enjoyment on PC, Mac, and Linux, and are free of DRM. If you don't want to mess with having to install these games the traditional way, you can unlock them for Steam redemption by paying at least the average, which is currently $3.45 at the time of writing this article. You'll get access to two soundtracks (Revenge of the Titans, Ultratron) with your purchase.

This week's charitable donations benefit Gamesaid. So far the weekly sale has managed to sell over 19,000 bundles, which equates to over $66,000 in raised funds. The Steam Holiday Sale is no doubt consuming most of your hard earned cash, but imagine how good it will feel to give towards a great cause.

Note that the Humble Bundle also offers a nifty “gifting option,” that you can use at checkout, which makes this a great last minute gift to anyone you may have left on your list. Be sure to check out the current (and bigger) bundle that is available, as well as some of the deals in The Humble Store's very own Holiday event.

Humble's latest weekly sale features titles from developer Puppy Games

HP Chromebook 11 with revamped power adapter coming soon

Reports of overheating chargers led Google and HP to halt sales of the Chromebook 11 last month. The chargers in question were ultimately recalled last week following an investigation by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission but now, the system is back up for sale with a redesigned charger according to 9to5Google.

Google sent the publication an updated HP Chromebook 11 with the new charger that is said to look like a smaller version of the one included with the Chromebook Pixel. The unit is made by China-based Lite-On, a name you’re probably familiar with if you’ve purchased an optical drive over the past several years.

It is equipped with a microUSB tip and supplies 5.25V at 3A which is a lot more than most microUSB chargers. Alternately, you can use a standard microUSB charger like those provided with a tablet or smartphone as was suggested during the investigation but do note that it will charge at a much slower rate.

Those with the original charger, around 145,000 according to Google, are encouraged to contact the search giant for a free replacement either through the Chrome support website or by calling the company directly.

Moving forward, we expect systems with the revised power adapter to start shipping to retailers in the near future although as of writing, the product page on Google Play still says “coming soon.” With any luck, it’ll show up in the coming days – just in time to make it under the tree.

HP Chromebook 11 with revamped power adapter coming soon

Ubisoft Massive claims The Division PC version "won't be a port"

Ubisoft Massive has said it plans to fully utilize the capabilities of the PC platform for its upcoming title, The Division. This isn't just going to be another PC/console port in which the computer-based finished product ends up looking hastily tossed together, or doesn't unlock its true visual potential. That's great news for anyone interested in the next-gen action game, especially after getting a glimpse at the visually stunning Snowdrop-engine teaser trailer that was unveiled at VGX 2013.

Snowdrop will allow developers to create some incredible eye candy, with immense detail and movie quality lighting effects. All of this, will of course look and interact better on PCs. “As you know, Massive has its roots in PC development. We are working hard and we want to make sure that we have a very high quality experience on PC,” wrote the developer in a blog post. “You can be sure that our PC version won’t be a port, but a full-fledged, optimized version! We want to create the best game possible regardless of what platform you play on.”

Ubisoft Massive also talked briefly about the destruction tools featured in the engine. The VGX trailer showcases a car mirror and windshield being shot, and the impressive detail allows the glass to crack and break as bullets penetrate its exterior. This particular part of the engine is something that Massive is very excited about, and developers state that “when glass shatters or wood splinters, it will mimic reality like you've never seen before.” It's going to be very interesting to see just how realistic these types of elements are when developers are ready to release the finished product.

For now though, PC fans can rejoice in the fact that Massive is taking their system of choice very seriously and although this game will be a cross-platform release, developers won't allow the true potential of the Snowdrop engine to be wasted.

Ubisoft Massive claims The Division PC version "won't be a port"

This robotic cube can balance on its edge, stand on a corner and even walk

We’ve seen robots pull off all sorts of impressive feats over the years but I bet you’ve never seen one like the Cubli. As the name suggests, it’s a cube-shaped robot created by researchers in Switzerland that is capable of a number of surprising talents that must be seen to be believed.

Inside the 6-inch cube is an array of mechanisms that enable it to balance on its edge or even stand upright on a single corner. This remains true even if the Cubli is bumped or the surface it is standing on is raised. But perhaps most impressive of all is the fact that it can effectively “walk” across a surface using the spinning wheels within to create the necessary momentum.

The technology is similar to what is already in use to stabilize satellites and could potentially be used in unmanned vehicles to explore other plants, according to the researchers.

Found is a TechSpot feature where we share clever, funny or otherwise interesting stuff from around the web.

This robotic cube can balance on its edge, stand on a corner and even walk

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance releases January 9th, available for pre-purchase on Steam

Just recently, Konami unveiled that Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance would be dropping onto the Steam platform “any day now.” The developer has made good on their promise and now the latest installment in the Metal Gear saga has an official PC release date of January 9th. The title will normally set you back around $30, but thanks to Steam's latest Holiday Sale, and a conveniently placed “pre-purchase” option, you can get the hack-and-slash for $20. The game still won't unlock until early next year, but this price cut is too good to pass up.

The PC version will include all three DLC missions, Jetstream, Blade Wolf, and VR Mission, and will also give you access to every customized body upgrade for Raiden, including, Cyborg Ninja, Raiden's original MGS4 body, Commando Armor, Inferno Armor, and White Armor. This makes this deal that much sweeter, just look at how much cash you're saving in DLC alone.

In terms of features there are a few unique additions to the PC port. You'll be able to replay any cutscenes or codec conversations directly from the main menu, and you can even jump directly into any boss fights you may want to re-live. Of course, since this is a PC release, you'll also gain access to graphical controls, allowing you to customize your visual experience.

This price-cut is definitely a product of the latest Steam event so it's safe to assume that the title will spring right back up to retail as soon as the sale is over.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance releases January 9th, available for pre-purchase on Steam

Weekend game deals: 75% off Far Cry 3 and Dishonored, Hard Reset $2, BioShock Infinite $10

Steam and Amazon are wishing for the remainder of your holiday budget with Far Cry 3 and Dishonored at $7.49 each, Hard Reset for $2.24, all three BioShocks for $14.99, four GTA titles for $10.99, the Max Payne series for $6.99 and plenty more. The eighth Android-friendly Humble Bundle has also launched, offering Hero Academy, Anomaly 2 and four other titles for about five bucks — or whatever you're willing to donate.

Steam



89

Far Cry 3 $7.49 (75% off)



52

Omerta City of Gangsters $9.99 (75% off)



86

Crysis 2 Maximum Edition $7.49 (75% off)



82

Chivalry Medieval Warfare $6.24 (75% off)



92

Fez $2.49 (75% off)



88

Total War Shogun 2 $7.49 (75% off)



73

Hard Reset $2.24 (85% off)



91

Dishonored $7.49 (75% off)



91

BioShock Infinite $9.99 (75% off)
Nether $11.99 (40% off)
Final Fantasy VII $4.03 (66% off)
More…

Amazon Digital



91

BioShock Triple Pack $14.99 (81% off)



84

Max Payne Complete $6.99 (87% off)



90

Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Edition $4.99 (75% off)



88

GTA Trilogy + GTA IV $10.99 (80% off)



88

XCOM Pack $19.99 (71% off)



81

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon $7.49 (50% off)
More…

GamersGate



84

Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition $10.19



76

Dark Messiah Might & Magic $2.49 (75% off)



82

Neverwinter Nights 2: Complete $4.99 (75% off)
More…

Green Man Gaming



88

The Walking Dead $6.24 (75% off)

20% off select titles via “GMG20-ZB5D1-93X49″
More…

Origin

50% off racing and sports titles

GOG
Icewind Dale 2 Complete $4.99 (50% off)
Planescape: Torment $4.99 (50% off)
Theme Hospital $2.99 (50% off)
More…

Weekend game deals: 75% off Far Cry 3 and Dishonored, Hard Reset $2, BioShock Infinite $10

Technology investor wants to split California into six separate states

Technology investor Tim Draper has come up with a rather unique proposal that would split California, the third largest state in area but first in population, into six separate states. The “Six Californias” campaign will be submitted to the state’s Attorney General as a ballot proposition proposal in the coming days according to report from TechCrunch.

Draper seems serious about the proposal and has already launched a website to get volunteers hip to his idea. But what’s the reasoning behind the plan?

In an e-mailed statement to the publication, Draper outlined five key reasons for pushing the initiative. First, he believes it is time that California was properly represented with Senators in Washington. The six state plan would level the playing field, he said. He also believes separate states would help increase competition and reduce monopolistic power as competition will lower cost and improve services.

Elsewhere, Draper said each new state could start fresh with more relevant constitutions and perhaps even a new crowdsourced state flower. Moreover, decisions made by local governments could be more relevant to the population as regulations in one new state may not be appropriate for another. And last but not least, Draper said individuals could move between states more freely.

Getting the initiative onto a ballot will be difficult but the idea itself may not be as far-fetched as some would think. After all, there are a number of people that have shown interest in splitting up the state into smaller territories.

We will certainly keep an eye on this to see if anything becomes of it.

Technology investor wants to split California into six separate states

OS X Mavericks 10.9.2 beta now available to developers, brings FaceTime Audio to the Mac

Apple has now released the OS X 10.9.2 beta to developers, some four days after publicly releasing OS X Mavericks 10.9.1.

Monday's release saw a number of bug fixes to both Mail and VoiceOver, and it looks as though we will be seeing some interesting updates coming to the FaceTime and Messages app with 10.9.2.

Most notably, Apple is adding FaceTime Audio to OS X with deep integration into Messages and FaceTime on the Mac.

Up until now only Apple devices running iOS 7 had access to audio-only FaceTime calls, and as many expected, the feature will soon be publicly available on the desktop.

Beyond that, reports are saying Apple is asking registered developers to focus on testing Mail, Messages, VPN features, graphics drivers and VoiceOver. Apple will also continue its efforts to clean up Mail in 10.9.2, with minor tweaks and Gmail integration fixes.

OS X 10.9.2 beta is available to registered developers as a software update in the Mac App Store or for download from Apple's developer portal.

OS X Mavericks 10.9.2 beta now available to developers, brings FaceTime Audio to the Mac

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls expansion pack arrives on March 25 starting at $39.99

Blizzard’s first expansion pack for Diablo III will be coming to digital download and retail on March 25. Gamers will be able to choose the Standard Edition priced at $39.99, the Digital Deluxe Edition which carries an MSRP of $59.99 or the retail-exclusive Collector’s Edition at $79.99.

Reaper of Souls will deliver a number of new features including a new act that will take place in Westmarch, a new playable hero known as The Crusader, updated loot rewards, all-new class skills and abilities, replayable content in the form of Bounties and Nephalem Rifts, a new Adventure Mode and the new Mystic NPC who provides heroes with loot-customization options.

If that weren’t enough, the Digital Deluxe Edition adds a wealth of in-game bonuses such as exclusive helm- and weapon-transmogrification recipes, a Spectral Hound minion that players can summon to keep their adventurers company, three additional character slots to accommodate new heroes, a World of Warcraft in-game companion pet known as the Treasure Goblin and a set of StarCraft II Crusader-themed Battle.net portraits and Malthael-themed decals.

Finally, the Collector’s Edition will include all of the bonus items from the Digital Deluxe Edition in addition to a full-color hardcover art book, a behind-the-scenes Blu-ray/DVD two-disc set and a mouse pad bearing the image of Malthael, the Angel of Death. It’ll only be available through select retailers so you’ll need to keep an eye out for it as the launch date approaches early next year.

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls is available for pre-order as of writing.

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls expansion pack arrives on March 25 starting at $39.99